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5 Ways To Get The Most Out of Music Lessons
Adults can
start any instrument at any time. Their success is based on how willing an adult
is to commit to practicing. We teach many beginner students in their 60’s
and 70’s. For children,
starting at the right age is a key element to the success of their lessons. Some
people will tell you “the sooner the better” but this attitude can actually backfire and be a negative. If a child is put into lessons too soon they may feel overwhelmed and frustrated and want to stop lessons. The last thing you want to do is turn a child off music just because they had one
unpleasant experience which could have been prevented. Sometimes if the child
waits a year to start lessons their progress can be much faster. Children who
are older than the suggested earliest starting age usually do very well. The
following are guidelines we have found to be successful in determining how young a child can start taking music lessons. 3 –
4 Years Old If a pre-schooler
has a keen desire and wants to start music, a group preschool music class will give them a good foundation in music basics
which will be helpful in later private lessons. At this age, private lessons
generally do not work as the child has not yet experienced the formal learning environment of kindergarten or school and learns
more effectively through the game oriented preschool environment. Piano/Keyboard At our school
5 years old is the youngest age that we start children in private piano lessons. At this age the have begun to develop longer
attention spans and can retain material with ease. Guitar
– Acoustic, Electric and Bass 8 years old is the earliest we recommend
for guitar lessons. Guitar playing requires a fair amount of pressure on
the fingertips from pressing on the strings. Children under 8 generally have
small hands and may find playing uncomfortable. Bass guitar students generally
are 10 years and older. Voice
Lessons 10 years old is recommended as the youngest
age for private vocal lessons. Due to the physical nature of voice lessons (proper
breathing technique, development of the vocal chords, and lung capacity), the younger body is generally not yet ready for
the rigors of vocal technique. For children younger than 10, we have a children’s
choir (ages 6 – 9) and a pre-school singing program (ages 3 – 5) that teaches them how to use their voices properly,
in a fun, relaxed environment. Drums The average age of our youngest drum student
is 8. This varies greatly depending on the child.
They have to be able to reach the pedal and the cymbals. Flute,
Clarinet & Saxophone Due to lung capacity (and in the case
of the saxophone the size of the instrument), we recommend that most woodwind beginners are 9 and older. Violin We accept violin students from the age
of 5. Some teachers will start children as young as 3, but experience has shown
us that the most productive learning occurs when the beginner is 5 or older. Trumpet The trumpet requires physical exertion and lung power. 9
years and older is a good time to start the trumpet. 2. Insist on Private Lessons when Learning Specific Instument Group
classes work well for preschool music programs, and theory lessons. However,
when actually learning how to play an instrument, private lessons are far superior since in private lessons it is hard to
miss anything, and each student can learn at their own pace. This means the teacher
does not have to teach a class at a middle of the road level, but has the time and focus to work on the individual
student’s strengths and weaknesses. For that lesson period, the student
is the primary focus of the teacher. The teachers also enjoy this as they do
not have to divide their attention between 5 – 10 students at a time and can help the student be the best they can be. 3. Take Lessons
in a Professional Teaching Environment Learning music is not just a matter of
having a qualified teacher, but also having an environment that is focused on music education.
In a professional school environment a student cannot be distracted by TV, pets, ringing phones, siblings or anything
else. With the only ½ to one hour of lessons time per week, a professional school
environment can produce better results since the focus at that time is learning music.
Students in a school environment are also motivated by hearing peers who are at different levels and by being exposed
to a variety of musical instruments. In a music school, the lessons are not just
a hobby or side-line for the teacher but a responsibility which is taken very seriously. As with anything, improving in music takes
practice. One of the main problems with music lessons is the drudgery of practicing
and the fight between parents and students to practice every day. Here are some
ways to make practicing easier: a)
Time – Set the same time every day to practice so it becomes part of a routine or habit. This works particularly well for children. Generally the earlier
in the day the practicing can occur, the less reminding is required by parents to get the child to practice. a)
Repetition – We use this method quite often when setting practice schedules for beginners.
For a young child 20 or 30 minutes seems like an eternity. Instead of setting a time frame, we use repetition.
For example, practice this piece 4 times every day, and this scale 5 times a day.
The child then does not pay attention to the amount of time they are practicing their instrument, but knows if they
are on repetition number three and they are almost finished. b)
Rewards – This works very well for both children and adults. Some adults
reward themselves with a cappuccino after a successful week of practicing. Parents can encourage children to practice by granting them occasional rewards for successful practicing. In our school we reward young children for a successful week of practicing with stars and stickers on their
work. Praise tends to be the most coveted award – there just is no substitute
for a pat on the back for a job well done. Sometimes we all have a week with
little practicing, in that case there is always next week. 5. Use Recognized Teaching Materials There are some excellent materials developed
by professional music educators that are made for students in a variety of situations.
For example in piano, there are books for very young beginners, and books for adult students that have never played
before. There are books that can start you at any level you are comfortable with. These materials have been researched and are continually upgraded and improved to
make learning easier. These materials have been researched and are continually
upgraded and improved to make learning easier. These materials ensure that no
important part of learning the instrument can inadvertently be left out. If you
ever have to move to a different part of the country, qualified teachers and institutions will recognize the materials and
be able to smoothly continue from where the previous teacher left off. Have Fun!! Music should be something that you enjoy for a lifetime. So try not to put unrealistic expectations on yourself or your children to learn too
quickly. Everyone learns at a different pace and the key is to be able to enjoy
the journey.
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